Tray adapted to be secured to a chair for an invalid



Sept. 1, 1964 G. J. TELARICO TRAY ADAPTEID TO BE SECURED TO A CHAIR FOR AN INVALID Filed May 14, 1962' 6163261 5 0. ZZZ A2160 United States Patent 3,146,738 TRAY ADAPTED T0 BE SECURED TO A CHAIR FOR AN INVALID George J. Telarico, 187 Genesee St., Geneva, N.Y. Substituted for abandoned application Ser. No. 108,469, May 8, 1961. This application May 14, 1962, Ser. No.

2 Claims. (Cl. 108-435) This application is a substitute application for my application filed May 8, 1961, Serial Number 108,469 on my invention for Invalid Tray, which is now abandoned.

This invention relates to appliances and more particularly to an appliance for an invalids chair.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an adjustable tray for attachment upon a chair for serving an invalid.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an invalid tray of the type described which will help to support the invalid in a sitting position, and which has self contained means for providing entertainment and serving facilities for the invalid in a seated position.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an invalid tray assembly made in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a bottom plan view of the assembly shown in FIGURE 1, and

FIGURE 3 is a side elevational view of the device shown in FIGURE 1 in actual use.

Referring now to the drawing, an invalid tray made in accordance with the present invention is shown to include a main tray panel 12 having a peripheral lip 14 extending around the exterior thereof to prevent small objects from falling from the tray panel 12 during use. A mirror 16 is conveniently inlaid centrally within the main tray panel as an added convenience.

One side of the main tray panel 12 is provided with a strip of foam rubber to facilitate a comfortable and sturdy fit of the tray against the body of the invalid, so as to prevent small objects from falling between the tray and the body of the invalid, and to help to support the invalid in a seated position. The opposite side of the tray is provided with a plurality of pockets 18 for holding small objects, such as playing cards, candies, and the like.

Secured to the lower side of the main panel 12 is a U-shaped bracket 20 constructed of tubular stock material and having a pair of spaced apart parallel sides each of which slidably receives one end of a support arm 22 having clamp brackets 26 hingedly mounted by means of hinges to the outermost free ends thereof. Each such 3,146,738 Patented Sept. 1, 1964 ice bracket 26 is provided with a thumb screw 28 for clamping the bracket to the side 32 of a chair back.

Each support arm 22 is provided with a series of longitudinally spaced apart indents 24, any one of which may be adjusted to receive a spring actuated detent 28 mounted upon a spring operated lever 26 carried on each side of the U-shaped bracket 20.

It wfll now be recognized that in actual use, the support arms are clamped to the sides of the back rest 32 of the chair with the U-shaped bracket 20 overlying the arm rests thereof. Thus, the tray 12 can be moved inwardly into contact with the body of the invalid and the detents 28 used to secure the parts in the adjusted position. The tray may also be swung upwardly, in the manner shown in FIGURE 3, to enable the person to be seated or withdrawn, whenever'required, without the necessity of having to remove the brackets 26 from the chair.

While this invention has been described with particular reference to the construction shown in the drawing, it is to be understood that such is not to be construed as imparting limitations upon the invention, which is best delined by the claims appended hereto.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An invalid tray comprising first and second straight parallel spaced apart arms, each arm being provided at one end with a fitting adapted to be mounted on a corresponding side of a chair back, each fitting including a U-shaped clamp, an adjustment screw and a hinge whereby each arm can be vertically pivoted about its hinge, a tray panel having first and second spaced apart hollow members, each member being adapted to slidably engage the corresponding arm in a manner at which the arm slides inside the corresponding member, each member having a spring pressed detent adapted to engage the corresponding arm in several adjustable positions, said tray panel having a plurality of pockets secured to the periphery thereof for holding small articles.

2. A tray as set forth in claim 1, further including a mirror secured to the top flat surface of said tray.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,292,646 Reynolds Jan. 28, 1919 1,478,780 Akesson Dec. 25, 1923 2,267,861 Haley Dec. 30, 1941 2,304,705 Pate Dec. 8, 1942 2,572,282 Scanlon Oct. 23, 1951 2,713,530 Chisholm July 19, 1955 2,861,854 Best Nov. 25, 1958 2,919,748 Alden Jan. 5, 1960 3,012,815 Smith Dec. 12, 1961 

1. AN INVALID TRAY COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND STRAIGHT PARALLEL SPACED APART ARMS, EACH ARM BEING PROVIDED AT ONE END WITH A FITTING ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON A CORRESPONDING SIDE OF A CHAIR BACK, EACH FITTING INCLUDING A U-SHAPED CLAMP, AN ADJUSTMENT SCREW AND A HINGE WHEREBY EACH ARM CAN BE VERTICALLY PIVOTED ABOUT ITS HINGE, A TRAY PANEL HAVING FIRST AND SECOND SPACED APART HOLLOW MEMBERS, EACH MEMBER BEING ADAPTED TO SLIDABLY ENGAGE THE CORRESPONDING ARM IN A MANNER AT WHICH THE ARM SLIDES INSIDE THE CORRESPONDING MEMBER, EACH MEMBER HAVING A SPRING PRESSED DETENT ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE COR- 